Chicken Meatball Soup

by Kayla Berman on September 30, 2022 3 comments

Chicken Meatball Soup is a hearty, healthy, and delicious soup recipe! Made with tiny bite-sized chicken meatballs, tender orzo pasta, baby spinach, and aromatic vegetables … this homemade soup is brothy, flavorful, light, and simmered to perfection. The whole family will love this cozy and comforting meal!

Hearty & Healthy Cozy Season Recipe

One of my top favorite things of the fall and winter season is soup. Any kind of soup really! Because enjoying one is like getting a warm hug on the inside.

Chicken couscous, vegetable gnocchi, and broccoli cheddar are all fabulous options for this warming, cozy experience.

As is Chicken Soup with Meatballs! It is a delicious twist on the classic soup – full of tender veggies, bite-sized chicken meatballs, nutritious baby spinach, Italian flavors, and a deliciously flavorful, rich broth.

I also love that this soup is light and healthy! No heavy creams or decadent ingredients.

It makes for the perfect wholesome weeknight dinner for the whole family. Leftovers are great to enjoy the next day or to pack for work or school lunches too!

Ingredients

This chicken soup is made with your classic chicken noodle soup ingredients! Plus bite-sized mini chicken meatballs and some Italian flavors. It is a fun and delicious spin!

Ingredient Notes

Meatballs:

Ground Chicken: Ground chicken is of course the base of chicken meatballs. I used regular ground chicken, but you could also use ground chicken breast. Either way you’ll need 1 lb.
Egg: Add 1 egg to the meatballs to bind them together!
Breadcrumbs: 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs also help with the binding.
Parmesan Cheese: I always add parmesan cheese into my Italian style meatballs. It adds so much incredible flavor that it is just a must have ingredient. 1/4 cup is perfect!
Seasonings: These little meatballs are wonderfully seasoned with 1 tsp both garlic and onion powder, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp of black pepper. It is quite simple, but truly all you need.

Soup

Vegetables: The base of this flavorful soup is the classic aromatic soup veggies – onion, celery, and carrot. I throw in fresh garlic too, because why the heck not. You will need 1 yellow onion, 5 garlic cloves, and 1 cup chopped each of carrot and celery. You’ll also stir in three large handfuls of baby spinach! It adds so much nutrition and you’ll barely be able to tell that it is there.
Olive Oil: 2 tbsp of olive oil is used the brown the meatballs and sauté the veggies.
Seasonings: The seasonings here are once again simple! Add 1 tsp of garlic powder, 2 tsp Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste.
Chicken Broth: Chicken broth provides the soup portion of this soup if you know what I mean. You will need 64 oz!
Orzo Pasta: Orzo pasta is my favorite addition to a soup. Its small size is truly perfect to catch in your soup spoon. 1 cup is all you need!
Parmesan Cheese: 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese is stirred in to this soup at the end. It is a great final touch.

Substitutions & Additions

There are a few substitutions and additions you could make to this cozy soup for it to meet your personal preferences, tastes, or needs!

Meat: An easy way to switch up this recipe would be to substitute in a different meat for the ground chicken in the meatballs. Perhaps ground turkey or ground beef!

Pasta: The orzo here could pretty much be swapped with any pasta shape. I think ditalini pasta would work best, but you could also go with a classic noodle.

Seasonings & Spices: I kept the seasonings and spices here quite simple, but you could totally add whatever you’d like in. Red pepper flakes, a bay leaf or two, thyme, rosemary, or oregano are all great options.

Fresh Herbs: Fresh herbs would elevate this soup to a whole new level. I personally would add fresh parsley or fresh basil. Delicious!

Kitchen Tools

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How To Make This Recipe

This chicken meatball vegetable soup is quite easy to make! You do have a slight extra step of making your own homemade chicken meatballs, but trust me it is worth it. They are so tender and tasty!

Then after that the cooking process just involves adding ingredients and combining until a delicious pot of soup forms.

Step By Step Instructions

Step 1: Start by preparing the meatballs. Add the ground chicken, egg, Panko breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper to a large bowl. Combine thoroughly.

chicken meatball mixture combined in a bowl

Step 2: Roll the chicken mixture into small meatballs, about 1/2 tbsp in size. I like to then place the chicken balls on a sheet pan while I prepare to brown them.

Step 3: Next add 1 tbsp olive oil to the bottom of a large pot or dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the meatballs in a single layer. Brown on one side, flip, then brown on the other. Since the meatballs are small, this should only take about 2-3 minutes. Then remove them and set aside. You may have to do multiple batches depending on the size of your soup pot.

Step 4: Add the onion, garlic, celery, and carrot to the same pot. Add in Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and the remaining olive oil as well. Sauté for a few minutes until soft and fragrant. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Step 5: Next add the chicken broth and bring to a boil.

Step 6: Then add the orzo pasta and the browned meatballs to the soup. Combine. Cook for 9 minutes or until the small pasta is al dente. You don’t want the orzo to be too soft because it will continue to cook. You can also add 1 cup of water at this point if you feel the soup needs more liquid.

Step 7: Turn the heat to low then add in the baby spinach and parmesan cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Combine and let simmer for another few minutes.

Step 8: Serve and enjoy!

soup with spinach on top in a dutch oven

big pot of soup with meatballs, spinach, and veggies

Expert Tips

Use a food processor to dice and chop you vegetables. Such a time saver!

Keep your meatballs small! This way they’ll be perfectly bite-sized, will cook evenly, and spread further throughout the soup.

Make sure to season to taste. This is key! Add as much garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper as you’d like.

As this soup sits it will absorb some liquid. Add a splash of water or chicken broth when re-heating to liven it back up.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to serve meatball soup?

I like to top a big bowl of this soup with tons of parmesan cheese and serve with a nice slice of thick, crusty bread on the side. A dinner roll or garlic knot works great too!

How to best store this recipe?

Store this recipe in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will last about 5 days – 1 week!

To reheat, warm up on the stovetop or pop in the microwave for about 60 seconds. So easy!

Can I freeze chicken soup with meatballs?

Yes! This soup is definitely freezer friendly.

Simply transfer to a freezer safe container and place in the freezer. It should keep for a couple of months.

Love this recipe? Check out some more similar recipes below…

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